HARVEST THANKSGIVING

All over Britain during September and October, thousands gather at harvest thanksgiving services to give thanks to God for all His goodness and faithfulness in creating spring, summer, autumn and winter.  Each season has a part to play in supplying us with a wonderful variety of fruit, vegetables and cereals although occasionally some crops fail.

We can also see God’s kindness in providing the ‘Harvest Moon’ which is produced by the tilt of the lunar orbit to the earth’s equator.  Normally the moon rises 50 minutes later each night but around September 21st it rises only 10 minutes later on successive nights.  This gives farmers longer periods of illumination so that they can continue harvesting into the night.  The harvest moon is of course not needed today with powerful lights on our tractors.

Although joyful hymns like, “Come ye thankful people come, raise the song of harvest home” are quite rightly sung at harvest services, we must not over look these solemn words in verse 2 of the hymn.  “Wheat and tares (weeds), together sown, unto joy or sorrow grown.”  Jesus always likened wheat to the real Christians who loved and followed Him and will therefore one day rejoice together with the great harvest of souls in heaven. 

But the hymn soon strikes this sorrowful note in verse 3, “Give His angels charge at last, in the fire the tares to cast.”  Many who sing this hymn often do not realise that the fire represents the torments of hell where all those who do not repent of their sins and love and follow the Lord Jesus will go.  Alas for many, hell is just another swear word along the road to hell.  The Apostle James wrote, “Do not swear but let your ‘yes’ be’ yes’ and your ‘no’ be ’no’.” [ James 5:12 ]